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Why are you treating what they say as a criticism? You are explaining how your ideas are level 10, and they are saying how to take it to level 11. Note that i

Why are you treating what they say as a criticism? You are explaining how your ideas are level 10, and they are saying how to take it to level 11. Note that it builds on what is there, and they are excited and positive. To them it probably sounds like you are rejecting what they are saying hence the downward spiral. A great way to counter this sort of thing is not to reject it, but to pencil it in for later. "That is interesting. Our plan is to get an MVP out the door and find market fit, and then we will be in a better position to do X." You can then discuss whatever is in common between their X and your existing stuff.

r0s 14y ago
Well I could have worded that differently. Sometimes it's a good addition like you suggest, I think I handle that gracefully. More often the response is more "The problem with that is..." which I counter with "here's the answer to that" which after a while gets frustrating, I suspect. I don't do half-baked ideas, I over-plan if anything.
- rogerbinns 14y ago
  There is always the possibility you are actually wrong :-) You also realise you don't have to "correct" them or get the last word in? Smile, thank them for their feedback/input and move on. And if you are so confident you are right then why even talk to these people? If you are trying to recruit them then you are doing a sales job, and you'll likely encounter the same things when dealing with prospective customers, partners, investors etc. Sometimes people just need to think out loud, so give them enough space to do so. You may find them coming around given a little time. Also realise they are trying to work with you. If you shut them down then they'll realise they'll just have to follow your orders (ie not a collaboration) in which case their experience has little value to you, as does the relationship to them.
  - r0s 14y ago
    That's reasonable. Thanks! I'm going to re-examine some existing relationships because of this advice.

r0s 14y ago

Well I could have worded that differently. Sometimes it's a good addition like you suggest, I think I handle that gracefully. More often the response is more "The problem with that is..." which I counter with "here's the answer to that" which after a while gets frustrating, I suspect. I don't do half-baked ideas, I over-plan if anything.

rogerbinns 14y ago
There is always the possibility you are actually wrong :-) You also realise you don't have to "correct" them or get the last word in? Smile, thank them for their feedback/input and move on. And if you are so confident you are right then why even talk to these people? If you are trying to recruit them then you are doing a sales job, and you'll likely encounter the same things when dealing with prospective customers, partners, investors etc. Sometimes people just need to think out loud, so give them enough space to do so. You may find them coming around given a little time. Also realise they are trying to work with you. If you shut them down then they'll realise they'll just have to follow your orders (ie not a collaboration) in which case their experience has little value to you, as does the relationship to them.
- r0s 14y ago
  That's reasonable. Thanks! I'm going to re-examine some existing relationships because of this advice.